A US startup has won permission to fly drones over people and beyond the view of their operators in New Zealand, a key regulatory step that could help open the skies over the EU, Australia and Canada to broader commercial use of unmanned aircraft.
Source: Drone Delivery Startup SkyDrop Wins Approval in New Zealand – Bloomberg
I do not see drone deliveries of parcels as a panacea – think through the practical realities. Where do you deliver to a condo? An apartment? A high-rise townhouse?
Where do you deliver to home lots covered in trees?
Drone delivery will work in many use cases but there are also many where it will not work, or not work well.
In early tests, those living near drone package delivery origination take off points have complained of constant noise of airborne drones.
Yet, to the extent it does work, it also represents a way to address labor shortages – as this technology will replace many ground-based delivery drivers. That is an example of how automation changes our labor requirements, and one of the ways we deal with a declining population.
